In this week's episode of MakingChips, Jim and Jason discuss how and when to talk about politics in the workplace, and why it should never affect business relationships.
0:00 | Jason talks about the 6 different showcases at IMTS Spark 2021
1:40 | Jim and Jason share their thoughts about political discussions in the workplace
4:05 | Jim discusses the new CMM in his shop
7:40 | Jason shares articles about President Biden's COVID-19 relief plan and new trade policies
15:00 | Jason explains why he thinks we need to listen to the political perspectives of others and discuss politics openly
20:10 | Nick tells us about how Xometry can help you with on-demand custom manufacturing
24:18 | Jason shares his notes on how politics can be discussed openly and honestly in the workplace, what basic guidelines you should adhere to, and what kind of environment it should foster
37:07 | Jim discusses how CARR Machine & Tool was able to have a virtual real-time audit through ProShop ERP
In this week's episode, Jim, Jason, and Nick talk about the different sales channels that you can utilize for your manufacturing company, and their strengths and weaknesses.
Segments:
0:00 | Nick explains how he sees ProShop ERP on shop floors across the country.
5:15 | The hosts share manufacturing news and purchasing trends for 2021
15:21 | Nick introduces different sales channels and how they function
19:55 | Jason discusses why companies such as Tesla don't go through local distributors and dealers
22:00 | Jim calls Matt Bain of Mazak North America to talk about IMTS Spark
30:38 | Nick introduces the concept of business development leaders, who handle distinct product groups at a national level
32:55 | Nick explains using regional sales managers as a direct channel
37:37 | Jim brings up how too many people in the sales channel could take a longer response time
42:55 | Nick discusses independent manufacturer's representatives as a sales channel
46:38 | Jason and Nick analyze the distributor relationship within a sales channel
49:56 | Jim shares the sales channels that he utilizes
As we move forward into 2021, the MakingChips podcast hosts look back at 2020, the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and share more lessons they learned as a result.
Segments:
6:06 | Jim shares information on the characteristics of a visual learner.
9:37 | The hosts discuss the potential usage of wearable technology in machine shops.
13:26 | The hosts emphasize the importance of cybersecurity, and how it will advance in 2021.
15:22 | The hosts discuss integrations of robotics in machine shops, as well as other possible future trends.
21:13 | Jim shares the thoughts and reactions of manufacturing leaders on the pandemic in March of 2020.
23:40 | Jason and Nick explain how they kept their team members informed during the pandemic.
25:00 | The hosts share how they used their organizations and affiliates to gather COVID-19 information for their peers.
29:20 | Jim talks about integrating virtual meetings, how taking risks may lead to new opportunities, and supply and demand issues during the pandemic.
Part 2 of this 2-part series continues the interview with special guest John Miller, founder of Way of the Mill, an education platform for CNC milling. In this episode, John shares more of his manufacturing knowledge that machine shops can benefit from.
3:38 | John shares his thoughts on how a commitment to details can improve a shop
10:20 | John explains how shops may need to be more open to hybrid solutions across brands and suppliers
12:15 | John tells why he started Way of the Mill in the middle of a pandemic and what the goals for his clients are
17:06 | John explains the process of tap testing and what shops should be using it
24:20 | Jason asks how distributor employees can help manufacturing leaders make choices